"Ms. Levant, you've been disappointing me."
I stared hard at my lap, hands fisted on my thighs. "I'm sorry."
Evander sighed, running a hand over his face. "If you'd remained in your room as you were supposed to this wouldn't have happened. You're a student here. You have to act like one."
No, I thought. It would have happened no matter what. Whether it was yesterday, or the day before, or tomorrow, or the day after. It didn't matter. If my father had sent hunters to drag me home they would have found me eventually. Locked up in my room or not.
But because I'd left... because I'd wanted to see Felix... He'd...
I bit my lip, squeezing my eyes shut. I couldn't get the crack of the gunshot out of my head. The blood gushing from Felix's chest.
"I'm only scolding you because I'm worried," Evander continued. "What would have happened if you were injured?"
"They weren't after me," I lied.
"But you were there. I know you're aware of how important your safety is to the peace treaty. I know you're not treating it lightly. But please, Ms. Levant, follow the rules of the academy."
I looked up at him, almost flinching at the severe disappointment etched onto his face. "I will. I promise. I know I keep making mistakes. But I'll do better. The peace treaty is important to me."
"I am going to move you to a new room. Everything that is happening feels off. I don't feel the dorm is as safe or secure as it should be anymore."
"Where am I moving to?"
"Kazem will bring you there when we are done here," Evander said. "He agrees that it will be good for the two of you."
I nodded. Kaz would be staying with me? I didn't mind that. And being moved to a new room might actually work out better for the best. I doubted my father knew where I stayed, but if he planned on sending more hunters out to find me, it was best to be preemptive.
"Can Felix stay with us too?" I asked.
"Mr. Vesper will remain in his own accommodations. I don't believe it was a targeted attack on him."
I sat up a little straighter. "Maybe not, but he was severely injured and—"
"I know you are worried about him, but there won't be room for him to stay with you," Evander cut me off, but not unkindly.
I fell back, defeated. "Okay."
"I'll allow you to visit him in the infirmary through your suspension."
"Wait, really?"
"Yes. It's clear to me that you feel responsible for his injuries in some way. I understand the want to want to be there for him. Just make sure Kazem accompanies you," Evander told me. "But that is it. To class, to the infirmary, and that's all. No more sneaking around. Okay?"
"Okay," I agreed readily. I didn't plan on sneaking around for a long time.
"I am surprised that your studies haven't fallen behind."
I could have pointed out that I'd already learned half the stuff in my home school program, but I figured I would let myself keep that advantage. "You know what they say. Play hard, study harder."
Evander's eyes crinkled as he smiled. "Is that the right saying?"
"I actually don't know," I admitted, rubbing my neck. "I think it's more fitting to say study hard, train harder for me."
"Oh, Kazem had mentioned that. Has no one ever brought you to the academy's gym? It's available 24/7. After your suspension is over, of course."
"There's a gym?" No one had mentioned that to me! Although thinking back, Kaz said he hated exercising, so no wonder he'd forgotten to mention it. Or maybe refused to mention it so he wouldn't have to come with me.
My successful brawl with the hunters assured me that maybe I wasn't as out of shape as I thought, but remembering the Leecher still motivated me to do better. Maybe I would never reach a vampire's level of fitness, but I needed to make an attempt.
A knock came on the office door and Kaz peeked in, his green eyes landing on me. He immediately switched it to Evander. "It's all set, Evander."
"Great," Evander said, clapping his hands together. "We're about done here, anyway. Please escort her back, Kazem."
I nearly jumped out of my seat, ready to get out from under Evander's heavy gaze. He was kind, but any kind of authority was a bit intimidating. It made me sweat sitting in front of him. Even more when I was being reprimanded.
Kaz had no pity. He just shook his head at me, heading down the hall. I reached out and grabbed his hand, stopping him. "Kaz, could we please stop by and see Felix before we go? Evander said I could go whenever if you came."
"Not today."
My heart fell. "What? Why?"
"You need to rest."
"No, I'm fine—"
Kaz brought his hands up to my face, lifting up my jaw. He frowned down at me, shifting my head from side to side. "Your injured eye is bloodshot. Are you sure it's not infected? Doesn't it hurt?"
"It doesn't. I didn't get injured at all yesterday, Kaz. The nurse already looked me over. She'd even told me I didn't have to wear the eyepatch again."
"What if you had gotten shot, Cleo?"
I pulled myself free of Kaz. "I didn't. Felix did. And the only reason he did was because he told me to run and save myself."
"Those hunters were after any vampire. He would have been targeted just because of that. That's not your fault."
I averted my gaze from Kaz, hating to lie to him. But only Felix and I could know the truth about the situation. I didn't want anyone else to know. Not until I figured things out.
Like what I was supposed to do without a family to return to.
No, that wasn't quite correct. My mother would still be my mother. And Kieran... I didn't know yet. I needed to talk to her. Had she been the one who told my father I'd gone home? Why would she? Had she mentioned Claude threatening our mother and then slipped up? Or did she do it on purpose, to make my father angry?
No, I refused to believe Kieran wasn't like that. When I'd told her to apologize to Adora, she had. Kieran just needed to hear why Claude had done that. She'd understand. But there was no way for me to get to her without my father knowing. Especially now.
"Cleo?" Kaz's voice broke me out of my reverie.
"Huh? Sorry."
"I asked if you wanted to pick up anything from the cafeteria before we move your things."
"I'm not hungry," I said, following him outside to the courtyard. I was more worried about Felix. He was in stable condition, but I wanted to make sure of it with my own eyes. He'd seemed okay after drinking my blood.
I shuddered, glad the cold air could cover for me as Kaz slipped out of his jacket, offering it to me. I still took it gratefully, throwing it over my shoulders. Kaz stepped in front of me, leading us back to the dorm. His shoulders were broad but thin.
A flash of Felix's shoulders covered by blood entered my mind and I nearly tripped, a lump rising in my throat.
Those hunters hadn't even hesitated. Would they have shot me too if I couldn't fight them off? Had my father really told them to bring me back whether or not I was alive? It was almost impossible to believe. Why? Why would he do that? What had I done so wrong that he didn't even care if I was alive?
Tears sprung to my eyes unbidden and I blinked furiously. My heart ached. Why did it hurt so much?
I shoved those feelings away. I would figure them out later when I was alone.
Back in my room, I packed whatever belongings I thought I would need. Not that there was much to begin with. Mainly just my uniforms and my casual clothing. They all fit in the suitcase I'd brought here, so I stuffed them in that. I didn't know how long I'd be gone from my room for, but I figured I could just come back if I forgot anything. I was a little reluctant to leave it. Hopefully whatever room I was moving to would be just as nice. I went into the bathroom to collect my toiletries and then stepped back into the hall, shutting the door behind me.
I heard the click of Claude's door as I did so, turning to face him, and nearly dropping my stuff.
Because Claude, too, had come out of his room with a suitcase.
I blinked at him. "What...?"
Kaz chose that moment to exit his room, eyes flicking between us, eyebrows raised. "Well, aren't you both prompt?"
"What are you doing?" I asked Claude.
"Why does your tone sound so accusing?" Claude returned, lips flattening. "It's your fault we have to move."
"We?"
Kaz cupped his elbow. "Yeah. You two are staying together now."
"What?" I gasped, whipping toward Kaz. "Why? Is that even allowed?"
"You'll have separate rooms," Kaz assured me, but still didn't look happy about it. "But the suite will be connected."
"I thought I was staying with you!"
Kaz deflated even more. "There's no room for me."
"Kick Claude out."
Claude gave me a dirty look. "Trust me, I rather not be doing this either."
"Evander has decided that Claude is the best person here to protect you," Kaz told me, lowering his gaze.
"Why do I need protecting?" I asked, my pulse quickening. Did Evander know? That wasn't possible. Felix wouldn't have betrayed me.
"In the event of an emergency," Kaz clarified. "Hunters getting all the way to the academy is unheard of. We were lucky it was humans who approached you two. I don't even want to think about what would have happened if it were Leechers."
"Didn't they set off the boundary magic?"
"Yes. They must have known they'd eventually be caught. I don't understand why they'd come all the way here just to hunt a vampire. Unless they were looking for someone specific. I doubt it was Felix."
My mouth fell open and I suddenly remembered what one of the hunters had said. "Wait. When they decided to attack Felix, they'd said they might as well attack another. Did they find any other vampires injured?"
"No. None that I know of. Do you think they might have been talking about a Leecher?"
Could they have? I wasn't sure. There had been too much else going on. But if they'd killed another vampire on campus, someone would have found a body, wouldn't they have? Hopefully they'd meant a Leecher.
I grit my teeth together. They'd come after me and decided to try and kill Felix as some kind of bonus. It was disgusting. If only I could have gotten rid of them myself. Now they would live to be a danger to someone else. But...
When I looked back up, Claude was regarding me coolly. I turned my head to the side, hating his inquisitive gaze.
"Kaz, I'll meet you down there," Claude suddenly said, handing his suitcase off to Kaz.
Kaz balked at him. "What? Claude, no. You can't go off by yourself—"
"I'm stopping by the infirmary."
Now I turned to him. "What? Why?"
"I want to speak to Felix about something."
"I want to come, too," I said. Why the hell did Claude want to talk to Felix? To take him out while he was weak?
Claude brushed by me, ignoring my request. I followed after him quickly, only to be directed in the opposite direction by Kaz as we stepped out of the dorm. I tried to slip around him, but Kaz wouldn't budge. "How come he is allowed to go?" I complained.
"He's the prince. He'll eventually get his way," Kaz responded, steering me toward the library.
"What if he tries to hurt Felix?"
"Why would he?"
"What? You all treat Felix like some kind of monster."
Kaz frowned. "That's not true. We worry about you. We don't care what Felix does if you're not involved."
I thought about his words, pacified for a moment. Kaz had a point. While Claude had been angry around Felix, it was more directed at me than him. It was usually because I'd upset Kaz in some way. None of that was really ever Felix's fault. "But why would Claude want to talk to him?"
"Ask Claude when he gets back. You two will have all night to chat. For who knows how long." He sighed.
"If you want we can put a pink wig on your head and you can try to pass off as me."
Kaz grinned a little. "You don't think anyone would notice, I don't know, our height difference? Or the fact that you're not pasty as hell anymore?"
"I wasn't being serious," I muttered.
"You two will be fine. Evander doesn't know about, well, you know. The incident."
I slapped a hand over my face. "Kaz. Please."
"What? A young man and a young woman... things could happen."
"And things could happen between a young man and a young man or a young woman and a young woman or a young person and a young person. However, things will not be happening between Claude and I," I said stubbornly.
Kaz raised his eyebrows. "Is that decided? Why were you even with Felix yesterday?"
"I just wanted to figure out what we were."
"And?"
"And I'm still confused," I admitted. "He said we don't need labels."
"That's true... but I think that if you were my girlfriend I'd want to be bragging about it to everyone."
"You would?"
"Oh, yeah. Big time."
"Would you brag more about me or Claude?"
Kaz stopped to flick my forehead. "Stop comparing yourself to him. I told you. Claude already turned me down."
"Yeah, well, Claude went from wanting to kill me to wanting to kiss me, so I think we can both agree he's a bit capricious."
"You turned me down, too."
I pursed my lips at him. "That's not true. I just already have whatever with Felix. Who knows what will happen in the future?"
Kaz slung an arm over my shoulder. "I've heard that before."
As we approached the library, Kaz led me around toward the back. I grew more and more confused as we walked toward the tree line. The old section of it came in sight and I raised my hand to touch the decrepit siding. "Where are we going?"
"Remember that room you met Claude in once? There are other rooms down there. The library used to be a dorm building into they built the new ones. That's why this part looks so different compared to the rest. It's mostly blocked off from the inside. Only that one door that you went through has access to it. And this one door here."
He stopped in front of what appeared to just be a stone wall. But when it swung inward, I realized it was a stone door. I'd been back here before and never noticed it.
Although the last time it'd been dark and Claude had pinned me to this exact wall, so...
"The dorm has multiple ways to get in, so that's why it was decided you two would be safer here," Kaz explained as we stepped into a dark hall. A moment later a dull light shone through as Kaz flipped a switch on the wall. "The majority of the students don't even know about it."
"I see," I said. Safe, but it sure did look gloomy. And old.
I did feel slightly better when I remembered how homey Claude's little hidden study had been. However, when we entered that exact same room, I had a sudden sinking feeling. There were only two doors in the room. One from to the study in the hall and one leading to what I assumed to be another room.
One room.
"Where's the other room?" I immediately asked Kaz as crossed the room to the other door.
"You have to enter through here," he said.
When he opened the door, I became even more confused, because it was only a decently sized bathroom. It held a shower, a bath, a double sink, and a toilet with a privacy wall. But there were also two more doors.
"It's a shared bathroom?" I asked, horrified as realization dawned on me.
"Yeah, the design is a bit..." he trailed off, grimacing. "I think it was a mistake while they were renovating. I pointed this out to Evander but he said that it's still the safest place. It'll be fine. Just knock whenever you want to leave your room."
I stared at him, jaw dropped. "We're just going along with this?"
"It's really not that bad. Just keep each other updated if you shower."
"No. No. I would rather be outside with the bears. I rather fight Leechers," I protested. "I can't do this."
"What? Are you afraid of Claude walking in on you while you shower?"
"I'm more afraid of me walking in on him!"
"You'd be able to hear the shower going."
"This is so wrong."
Kaz pushed open the door to my new dorm room, gesturing for me to enter. "I've spent many nights in your room and never walked in on you in the shower. Adora and San, too. I think you'll be fine."
"This is different, though," I said but realized it was moot. Evander had decided this was the best place. For my safety maybe, but clearly not my modesty.
"Is it? Or is it because it's Claude that you're like this? What if it was me?"
I didn't answer for a moment, waiting for Kaz to turn on the light to the pitch-black room. I noticed immediately that the reason it'd been so dark was because it had no windows.
"I'm in jail aren't I," I said.
"This place is just about as secure as a jail," Kaz responded grimly.
"No wonder you're not putting up more of a fight to stay with me. You're probably happy you don't have to stay here."
"I'm sure you won't be here for too long," he said, but definitely did not sound sure of that. "Besides, I'll be stationed as an extra guard. I asked Evander to put me on a shift."
I took in the rest of the room. If I put aside the fact there weren't any windows, it really wasn't that bad. Smaller than my other dorm room, but still more than enough room for myself. A queen-sized bed, a desk, a leather couch with a coffee table. I would be fine here for a little while. It would take a lot for anyone my father sent to try to reach me in here. I could sleep easily at the very least.
"I have to get to class," Kaz said, pulling out his phone to check the time. "Try not to go anywhere. Don't sneak off to see Felix."
"I'm not planning on it," I said. I'd betrayed Evander's trust too many times already. He'd said I could visit Felix if Kaz was with me, so I'd just wait until Kaz had free time.
Kaz watched me for a moment. "Try and take a nap. You look exhausted."
I nodded, glancing at the bed. I needed to do my school work, but a nap did sound nice. I hadn't been able to sleep at all the night before. Too much was going through my brain. As soon as I was alone I couldn't stop thinking about what the hunters said, no matter how much I tried to ignore it.
Kaz left and I sat down at the desk, lugging my backpack to my side. I didn't want to let my mind wander yet. I took out my history book and began to read the chapters assigned, only growing drowsier as I took in the tedious text. My eyes drooped and I rest my cheek on my forearm, closing my eyes for a moment.
The sound of my door opening jolted me awake. My heart jumped into my throat and I twisted around, shoving myself out of the chair, one hand going to my textbook to use as defense if I needed to.
Claude stepped into the room, blinking at my stance.
"You're supposed to knock," I said, relaxing my shoulders.
"I did. Multiple times. When you didn't answer I figured it was my obligation to come in and make sure you were alive."
I sat back down in my chair, puffing out a breath of air. This wasn't helping my concern about having our rooms connected by a bathroom. "I'm not in any danger. Knock from now on."
"I told you I did knock," he said again.
"No, I mean from now on. No matter what. No matter where you go. Open your door slowly and keep your eyes open." I paused. "No. Wait. Keep them closed and just listen hard."
"Why? Are you worried about me walking in on you?"
So, he was already thinking about it? I narrowed my eyes. "Yes."
His eyes roved over my body. "You're not—"
"Don't you dare say you're not interested in me because you tried to kiss me."
A flush crossed his cheeks and he scowled. "Do you have to bring that up?"
I jutted my chin. "Yes."
"I will knock," he snapped. "I expect you to, as well."
"Fine. Hopefully, we won't be here long. I'm really not in that much danger. Things probably just need to cool down first."
Claude came over to me, looking unimpressed. "You say you're not in danger?"
I hesitated a moment. "No."
"Don't lie."
"What?" I said, muscle tensing. "I'm not lying."
"Remember when you said you would work on trusting me? Lying to my face is not doing yourself any favors."
How did he know...? "Did Felix tell you something?" I asked incredulously.
Claude put his hands in his pockets. "Yes."
I pressed my lips together, annoyed. I'd told Felix to keep this between us. Why would he go and tell Claude of all people?
"He gave the truth up once I'd told him I knew he'd drank your blood."
I snapped my attention back to Claude, blood turning cold. "How did you know?"
"Relax," Claude said. "I don't care about that."
"But it's against the law."
"I think disregarding the law to save a life is an acceptable thing to do. I will keep that secret for you two."
"But you just said you used it against Felix to blackmail him into telling the truth," I pointed out.
"And only for that reason. I knew you were hiding something. Why are you hiding the fact that those hunters were after you?"
Claude's expression of disapproval made me hang my head. "Because. I don't want to make it a big deal."
"From what Felix said, it is a big deal."
"There's no way they'd be able to get on campus again," I mumbled. "And now I'm here so it doesn't even matter. I'm safe now. So, it's really not."
Claude knelt down in front of me, resting his hands on the armrests on either side of me. "I disagree."
I pressed myself against the backrest, trying to put space between us. His face was way too close. "W-why?"
"What I told your mother wasn't just an empty promise," he said. "I will protect you. From other vampires. From other hunters. From Leechers. And from your own family."
My mouth went dry. "Claude—"
"But I need to be aware of any threats that arise," he continued.
"I don't need protecting," I said, trying to ignore how fast my heart was beating.
"Maybe not. But still, I want to keep you safe."
"Why?"
"Because I know you'd do the same for me. And for Kaz and Adora and San, wouldn't you?"
"Of course I would," I said immediately.
"Then you know why I am saying this."
I nodded slowly, still very aware of his proximity to me. "Okay. It's true. The hunters said they'd come to bring my home." That was all I would divulge. Claude didn't need to know about them saying it didn't matter if I were dead or alive.
"And do you want to return?" Claude asked, face impassive.
Had I been asked that just last week, maybe I would have said yes. But now... I set my jaw. "No," I said. "I don't."
"Very well." He leaned back on his heels and I found I could breathe again. "We can start tomorrow."
"Start?" I repeated.
"You seem to be able to hold your own against hunters. I can hold my own against vampires. When I'm not drunk," he added with a scowl when I began to raise an eyebrow.
I bit back a smile. "Right."
"So, we will spar."
Now my eyes did shoot up. He'd mentioned it before, but it'd been so long I'd figured he decided against it. "Why should we spar?"
"I will show you how to fight against a vampire. You show me how to fight against a hunter."
It didn't sound like a terrible idea. I needed real experience. And Claude seemed to agree it would benefit him, too. "I see. So we're covering all the bases."
His lips curved up in amusement. "Exactly."
______________________
We need one more fun chapter before the shitshow starts, right? 😌
Check out this super cool art of Claude and Cleo made by ToastCrumch on Instagram!